East Vs West: Whose Music is Best?
by Plumcot
Summary: New Jersey is trying to watch birds, but that's pretty impossible when her little sister California is blasting "California Gurls" from her room. What starts out as a quest to get her to turn the radio down ends up a contest between Bruce Springsteen and Katy Perry, in a weird, roundabout way. Rated for language.


**Author's Note: I got this idea a while back listening to Jersey Girl. Honestly, I kind of like California Gurls... but between Katy Perry and Bruce Springsteen, there is no contest. **

** Either way, here's another New Jersey drabble. Because I couldn't write about New Jersey without mentioning Bruce Springsteen. Read, review, and enjoy!**

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New Jersey was in the back room of the family's house, standing in front of an open window with binoculars in her hands, and an open bird book on the end table next to her. She carefully watched the suet feeder outside, making note of the birds she saw. A flash of black, white and red came, and she smiled when she saw the woodpecker landing to have a meal. She reached for the book to see what kind it was, but jumped when she was startled by a loud, unpleasant noise.

_"__I know a place, where the grass is really greener" _The lyrics came blasting through the house, startling New Jersey and making her jump. Looking back to her birds, she saw that they'd all been startled away. The state growled; she knew exactly who was to blame for this.

_"__Warm, wet and wild; there must be something in the water" _She turned from the window and marched purposefully up the stairs, the music getting louder the closer she got. She caught a glimpse of Hawaii in her room, lying facedown on her bed with a pillow clutched over her ears.

_"__Sippin' gin and juice, lyin' underneath the palm trees. The boys break their necks, tryn'a creep a little sneak peek" _New Jersey finally got to the door at the end of the hallway, the music now deafening.

She banged on the door with her fist. "OPEN THE FUCK UP!" She shouted. America was off on a business meeting, so she'd have to do this herself. She waited two seconds, and when nothing happened she opened the door herself, barging in angrily.

_"__You could travel the world but nothing comes close to the golden coast, once you party with us you'll be falling in love, oooh, oh, oooh," _There was California, wearing jean shorts too short for comfort, and tank top with nearly the entire back cut out. Her eyes were brown, and her hair was a sandy blonde, which along with her sun-kissed skin _screamed _"West Coast". She was dancing in the middle of her room to the music, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. New Jersey stormed over to the radio in the corner and turned it off.

This seemed to catch her sister's notice. "Hey!" California protested. "I was listening to that!"

"Do I look like I care?" New Jersey said, gesturing wildly. Maybe it was because of her closeness with the Italy brothers, but she had always tended to talk with her hands. Especially when she was angry. "You scared away all my birds with that shit!"

California scoffed. "You're just jealous you don't have a song about you." She said, her hand on her hip.

"_Don't_ have a song about me?" New Jersey said. "Jersey Girl, bitch; look it up!"

"Like I care." California moved to turn the music back up, but New Jersey stepped in front of her.

"No fucking way, Cali." She said, one eyebrow arched. "You're terrorizing the entire house! Poor Hawaii is just lying on her bed with a pillow over her ears! For God's sake, haven't you ever heard of earbuds!?"

California rolled her eyes. "Fine. You leave me no choice." New Jersey looked confused for a second, but that look soon turned to one of outrage as she was physically plucked from the ground and carried over to the door. Unfortunately for her, she might talk tough, but when you get down to it New Jersey is… small. Especially compared to California.

"PUT ME THE FUCK DOWN!" New Jersey yelled, still pissed that her little sister was even strong enough to push her around like that.

"Sure." California said, before putting New Jersey down outside her room, closing the door, and locking it. New Jersey fumed as the music started up again. Well, two could play at that game. She raced to her own room, immediately raiding her CD collection for one choice album.

"Got it." She said aloud, smirking to herself as she moved over to her own radio and put in the CD, turning the volume way up.

_"__I got no time for the corner boys, down in the street makin' all that noise, all the girls out on the avenue, 'cause tonight I wanna be with you" _The melodic tunes of Bruce Springsteen blasted through the house, New Jersey singing along, because what the heck.

_"__California girls, we're unforgettable, daisy dukes bikinis on top, sun-kissed skin so hot we'll melt your popsicle, ooooh oh, ooooh" _Calfornia turned her music up until it drowned out New Jersey's, and New Jersey dialed her own up to ear-drum popping proportions.

Suddenly, Cali burst through the door to New Jersey's room, scowling angrily. "What is with you?!" She shouted. "Turn that shit down!"

New Jersey's eyes widened. "You did _not _just insult Bruce Springsteen." She said incredulously.

"Aww, standing up for your little boyfriend? She only got a second to brace herself before New Jersey threw herself at the larger state, landing them both on the ground fighting.

"That's it!" The girls heard a loud shout, and were suddenly pulled away from each other by two different sets of hands. New Jersey looked up to see Virginia holding her back, and Texas doing the same to California. Texas was a large man, being the second biggest state in the bunch, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a pair of rugged jeans, with a plaid shirt tucked into the waist. Virginia was smaller, though not as small as New Jersey. Her hair was blonde, curly, and clipped back with a little bow. She wore a solid blue circle skirt and a blue, flower-pattern blouse. And when the heck did she get so strong, anyway?

"Hawaii, would you kindly turn this racket down?" Texas called into Hawaii's room. Hawaii immediately ran out of her room, eager to oblige. The little girl looked about ten years old and had dark skin, brown eyes and long brown hair that reached to the small of her back. She was wearing a floral print tank top and khaki shorts that reached just above her knees.

"Finally!" She said, as she turned each radio off and headed back to her room.

"What were you two thinking?" Virginia chastised.

"California was being a bitch and wouldn't turn her music down!" New Jersey complained. "And will you let go of me?!"

"Are you going to attack your sister?" Virginia asked pointedly.

"…No."

Virginia sighed. "Alright, fine." She and Texas both let the others go, and the girls stood up, brushing themselves off indignantly and shooting each other menacing glares.

"Now you girls stop this now!" Texas said firmly. "You can both listen to your music, just use your God-damned headphones!"

New Jersey stuck her tongue out at California. "Told you so."

"Don't. Start." California ground out.

"Honestly!" Virginia said. "You're her older sister, you're supposed to be setting an example!"

New Jersey rolled her eyes. "Can I get back to my birds now?" She said exasperatedly.

"Yes, you may." Virginia replied. New Jersey wasted no time in running downstairs to see if any of her birds had come back after their initial scare. The house was void of music the rest of the day.

The next day, New Jersey woke up as usual and headed downstairs in her pajamas to join her siblings at breakfast. She grabbed a plate of eggs from the kitchen and sat down at the huge table (which really _was _huge, given that it had to seat fifty states and a nation) just as her father poured the last glass of OJ and sat down himself.

"Dad, how was your trip yesterday?" Delaware asked.

"Eh, it was boring as usual." America said. "Just a lot of financial stuff and guys in suits. How'd yesterday go for you guys, then?" Everyone exchanged looks, silently agreeing not to mention yesterday's incident. Some things their father just didn't need to know about. They were saved from having to answer, though, when they heard a thumping on the stairs. Everyone turned to see New York, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he walked down, sitting next to New Jersey, much to her chagrin.

"'Morning, guys." He said, yawning.

"Gee, what kept you up?" America asked.

"Oh, I was just out doing some Improv Everywhere thing. You shoulda seen the looks we got!" Laughter rang out from every end of the table. If there was one thing that even New Jersey was envious over, it was that New York got to be the base for Improv Everywhere. Of course he loved the group, and never missed an event. New Jersey turned back to her eggs, but froze when she heard the familiar tune New York was humming under his breath;

"Start spreading the news, I'm leavin' today." He sang absentmindedly as he shook salt over his plate. New Jersey looked at California. California looked at New Jersey. They both looked at New York, who was very confused as to what he was being glared at for.

Oh, it was _on._

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**Author's Note: ****I know they're fighting in this story, but I feel like California and New Jersey would probably be good friends. If only because I know so many people who have moved here from California, and vice-versa. I've heard theories that it's because we're politically similar?**

**Oh, and there's a reason why I had New Jersey watching birds... because I felt like it. XD Really, the occasions I've gotten explore New Jersey on have all been birding trips. Either that or lighthouse touring. I kept getting the urge to put New Jersey in a brown vest and a baseball cap, but that's really only how I see New Jersey, not how everyone else sees her. So I kept her kinda outdoorsy, but I don't have her dressed like a birder. Right now, anyways...**


End file.
